II
DESIRELESSNESS
WE now come to the second qualification, that is to
say, Vairagya, which the Master here has translated
" Desirelessness". It has been translated u In-
difference," but that is not good because in English
we have several meanings for that word " Indiffer-
ence," and most of them are quite inappropriate.
It is not that a man cares nothing, but that he will
not allow sfesire to dominate him. The Master's
translation " Desirelessness " is really a far better
one; in fact, it is an absolutely literal rendering of
the Samskrit word Vairagya^ the absolute absence of
desire. Mrs. Besant rather plumed herself on her
translation, " Dispassion ". But, the moment she saw
the Master's word(< Desirelessness," she said, {£ Ah yes,
that is nearer, that is better." So since then she has
always used it. He begins by saying:
There are many for whom the Qualification of Desire-
lessness is^ a difficult one, for they feel that they are their
desires—that if their distinctive desires, their likings and dis-
likings, are taken away from them, there will be no self left.
We, I hope, are in the habit of distinguishing
between our desires and ourselves, but I suppose you